The East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project emerged from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Rebuild by Design competition, which sought to develop innovative design solutions to increase the resiliency of Sandy-impacted communities.

The 2.5 mile project area is located within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100-year floodplain and spans from Montgomery Street to East 25th Street. The ESCR project is designed to protect and improve the resiliency of the large and diverse residential community of more than 110,000 New Yorkers, including approximately 28,000 NYCHA residents. ESCR will also offer protection to critical infrastructure – including a major pump station and an electrical substation that powers much of Lower Manhattan – as well as numerous local schools and libraries.

In 2024, NYC Mayor Adams announced the completion of the first section of ESCR, between East 15th St. and the Asser Levy Playground, with flood barrier walls and gates, a new dog run, ballfields, and other public amenities.

In order to make the case for the protection of Lower Manhattan, the BIG team undertook extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis – demonstrating impacts by Hurricane Sandy, and outlining future risks to life, property, and economic activity.

Working with the city, BIG identified Manhattan’s East side as a priority area which is home to more than 110,000 low-income residents living in one of the largest reservoirs of public housing in the city.

In addition, the area is home to multiple critical public assets including the country’s economic epicenter; one of its most significant historic districts, the South Street Seaport and extensive transportation infrastructure.

Over the course of the concept design, the BIG team held 11 public workshops and 40+ smaller stakeholder sessions, with more than 1,000 participants from the community and surrounding neighborhoods providing input. Taken together, the ESCR project builds physical, social, and economic resiliency, strengthening the City’s coastline while reestablishing public space, enabling outdoor gathering opportunities, and improving waterfront accessibility.

At East River Park, a system of “bridging berms” between the FDR Drive and the park will help protect the neighborhood from future storm surge and rising sea levels while reimagining access and pedestrian bridges into the park, supporting diverse new plantings, enhancing views into the park, and creating better open spaces along the waterfront.

At Stuyvesant Cove, elevated open spaces will work together with a new ferry landing, cultural facilities, and kayaking amenities to create a vibrant waterfront. The use of deployable elements will maintain views and access to the water at critical locations, ensuring continued connections between the neighborhood and its waterfront.